Sunday, January 07, 2007

Cuban Guests turned down at Scandic Hotels

It has caused a lot of anger in the Nordic countries that Cubans are being rejected as guests at the American owned Scandic hotels in Norway and Sweden. The Cubans are turned down after orders from American owners who are following the Helms-Burton legislation. It forbids Americans having business dealings with Cubans. It is part of the American embargo against the island.

Therefore it is surprising that the manager of the Scandic and Hilton hotel chains in Denmark Hans Frank is able to follow another policy. According to the Danish business paper the Borsen, Cubans are heartily welcome at these hotels in Denmark.

Scandic is the largest hotel chain in the Nordic countries. Shortly before christmas a Cuban trade delegation was rejected by a Scandic hotel in Oslo.

- I'm running a hotel business in Denmark and we obey Danish law. Therefore I shall not turn guests from Cuba down, Hans Frank tells the paper.